NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-16-2025 3AM EST

Episode Date: December 16, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. The 32-year-old son of actor-director and producer Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle, is being held on $4 million bail. Nick Reiner is accused of murdering his parents Sunday in their Los Angeles home. As Steve Futterman reports, condolences are pouring in from around the nation, as well as criticism from President Trump. As for President Trump, his comments were far less than laudatory. Now, Reiner was very critical of the president in recent years. President Trump called Rob Reiner tortured and a once very talented movie director. He said Reiner and his wife died, quote, reportedly due to the anger he caused others

through his massive, unyielding, an incurable affliction with Trump derangement syndrome. That was a bit too much for some Republicans. Thomas Massey of Kentucky called the comments inappropriate and disrespectful about a man who was just brutally murdered. Steve Futterman in Los Angeles. The governor of Puerto Rico has signed an anti-transparency bill that will make it harder to obtain public records. Details from Kvon Antonio Haydari in San Juan.

Signed by Governor Jennifer Gonzalez law 156 limits investigators and citizens' access to public documents. It doubles the time to fulfill requests and allows classification of info is confidential without judicial review. Pedro Cardona Morales is an architect in the U.S. territory and believes the measure affects all sectors and not just the media, allowing the government to operate in the dark. The law signed by the Governor Gonzalez limits our right to know, he said. This law has tremendous impact in many sectors on the island.

Some 50 organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, denounce the measure. For NPR News, I'm Kevan Antonio Haydari in San Juan. A year ago today, a gunman opened fire at a private school in southern Wisconsin, killing three people. Sarah Lear of Wisconsin Public Radio has this remembrance. Madison paramedic Brandon Schultz will never forget, turning to look at his coworker when the 911 calls first came in late that December morning. We knew this was going to be a day that changed a lot of people forever. Schultz was in one of the ambulances that rushed to the abundant life Christian school in Madison. A 15-year-old student had opened fire in a study hall, killing 42-year-old teacher Aaron West, and 14-year-old Ruby Vergara.

The shooter died by suicide. Her father is now facing felony charges after prosecutors say he gave his daughter access to two handguns. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Lear in Madison. U.S. futures are flat and after-hours trading on Wall Street. On Asia-Pacific markets, shares are down around 1%. This is NPR. In Australia lawmakers say they'll work to tighten that nation's gun laws following the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney. At least 15 people were killed in Sunday's attack.

Police say one of two gunmen is also among the dead while the second suspect is in custody. Ford is halting production of its old electric F-150 lightning pickups, citing low consumer demand and regulatory changes. The Detroit Automaker is shifting its focus to smaller EVs and hybrid vehicles. Ford says its battery plant in Kentucky will be reconfigured to make battery energy storage systems and other equipment for data centers, utilities, and others. President Trump has filed a multi-billion dollar defamation case against the BBC. As NPR's David Fulkenflick reports, Trump alleges the British broadcaster

compressed his remarks to supporters ahead of the Capitol riot in 2021. The BBC did not comment Monday, but it has a lot of company. The corporate parents of ABC and CBS have each paid $16 million to settle separate suits filed by Trump last year as a private citizen. Since taking office this year, he's sued the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. In this case, an internal report raised questions about the BBC's fairness. Trump's legal team filed the suit in Florida. His case is leaning on the idea that it swayed voters there. As the BBC earlier noted, Trump won big in Florida last year.

And the network did not directly broadcast. the show on its American TV programming. Trump's lawyers say it was available on the Britbox subscription channel or for people using virtual private networks. David Fokinflick, NPR News. This is NPR. This message comes from Wise,

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